TEMPE, Ariz. – Entering the 2025-26 season, No. 11 Arizona State football carries palpable buzz around its offense – primarily due to the return of its star-power duo of redshirt sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt and redshirt junior wide receiver Jordyn Tyson.
However, the third prong, and arguably the most dynamic aspect, of the Sun Devils’ offensive pitchfork won’t be on the sidelines this year: Cam Skattebo.
Last fall, Sparky’s recipe for offensive success incorporated a mix of limiting turnovers, with the third fewest giveaways in college football, and a heavy lean on its rushing attack, which ranked 14th in total yards on the ground.
After Skattebo’s departure to the NFL, the Sun Devils must now fill a void in the backfield. To compensate for his absence, the Maroon and Gold have loaded up with depth across the board.
A three-way competition ensued between junior Kyson Brown, redshirt junior Raleek Brown and junior Kanye Udoh for the keys to be ASU’s starting running back. And still, even as fall camp winds down, the team has yet to name a starting tailback.
Udoh, an Army West Point transfer, marched for over 1,000 yards on the ground last season, averaging 6.2 yards per carry and helping spearhead the nation’s most potent rushing attack.
“Udoh has done a very good job with short yardage, some goal line stuff,” head coach Kenny Dillingham said of the 10-touchdown scorer last season. “He’s shown flashes in live periods.”
While the 6-foot-1, 220-pound bruiser back looks to be the short-yard specialist this season, the other two featured backs, Kyson and Raleek Brown, bring their own unique skillsets.
“Kyson has done a really good job. He’s got a bulk of the reps coming into spring and training camp,” offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo said of the three-year Sun Devil. “He has matured and evolved. The more and more things the back can see as a guy who’s leaning further into that spot protection-wise, fronts, staying deliberate to the runs, knowing the intent and knowing what the effectiveness of that scheme is important.”
At the moment, Kyson Brown appears to be the most reliable option on early downs. The Lancaster, Texas native served as Skattebo’s backup last season, amassing 540 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns.
Raleek Brown medically redshirted his sophomore season due to a hamstring injury. Before transferring to ASU, he attended the University of Southern California.
In his freshman campaign as a Trojan, Brown averaged 10.9 yards per reception and found the end zone six times. The shifty, 5-foot-9, 195-pound possesses versatility out of the backfield and could be used to relieve Kyson Brown when needed.
As of now, a committee approach to the running back position seems most likely heading into Week 1.
The theme of increased depth trickles down to Arizona State’s tight end room, headlined by redshirt senior Chamon Metayer. He finished with the second-most touchdowns among Big 12 tight ends last season.
“I think Chamon is going to play on Sundays,” Dillingham said of the Big 12 Second All-Team tight end. “He’s going to play for a long time because he’s super intelligent, he’s savvy and he blocks people.”
Four-star freshman recruit AJ Ia and Kentucky transfer, junior Khamari Anderson, redshirt senior Cameron Harpole round out the new-and-improved tight end room.
ASU tight ends coach Jason Mohms said Anderson has far exceeded expectations so far in Tempe.
“He’s that utility knife,” Mohms said about the 6-foot-5, 225-pounder’s wide range of abilities. “He’s a weapon for us.”
But all eyes in the receiving game will be on Tyson, who emerged as Leavitt’s No. 1 target following a breakout stretch in the second half of the season. The Big 12’s Offensive Newcomer of the Year, racked up 1,101 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Before suffering a collarbone injury in ASU’s Territorial Cup win in Tucson, he accumulated 444 receiving yards and three touchdowns in his last three games.
However, his absence in the Big 12 Championship and Peach Bowl proved the need for a second receiving threat at the wideout position.
With a full year of tape out on the Sun Devils’ top target on offense, Arizona State wide receivers coach Hines Ward emphasized the importance of Tyson’s versatile playstyle.
“We’re trying to utilize him in different ways, and he enjoys it,” Ward said of the 6-foot-2, 200-pound pass catcher. “To be able to play him outside, inside, from the backfield and motion out the backfield.”
Recently, Tyson joined Alabama sophomore Ryan Williams and Ohio State sophomore Jeremiah Smith as the third wide receiver on the Associated Press Preseason All-American first team.
Headlining ASU’s transfer portal additions to the receiver core were redshirt junior Jalen Moss and redshirt freshman Jaren Hamilton.
“He’s just consistent. There’s a reason he’s had the production he’s had in college football,” Dillingham said of Moss. “He gets his right depth, he catches the ball, he does what he’s supposed to do.”
Moss totaled 1,269 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns as a Fresno State Bulldog, serving as the team’s punt and kick returner in 2024. The speedy 6-foot-1, 185-pound wideout has lined up with the first-team offense as of late, suggesting that he could be the second or third option in the room.
Hamilton spent his freshman campaign with the Alabama Crimson Tide, appearing in six games over two seasons. Early returns in practice have proved promising, but Ward still wants to see the Gainesville, Florida native learn the playbook to its full extent before he takes on a bigger role, adding that “He’s one of our most explosive players.”
Ward, who is a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers, has preached the ‘No Block, No Rock’ mantra since joining Dillingham’s staff in 2024. Ward believes redshirt senior wide receiver Malik McClain has best embodied the saying this offseason.
“Malik has really taken a full 180 from last year to him just diving all in,” Ward said. “He’s getting after blocking one of our better safeties in [Myles] Rowser, and every day it’s a battle. So he’s earned his respect from the defensive side … He’s kind of my dark horse. I think a lot of people really haven’t seen him put in the work that he’s done this offseason, and I tell him, ‘It’s going to pay off all the work that he put into it.’ He’s going to make some plays for us.”
But for Leavitt to distribute the ball to his playmakers, he’ll need ASU’s new-look offensive line to undergo a seamless transition from a strong 2024 campaign.
The Sun Devils bid farewell to their Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year finalist, center Leif Fautanu. With redshirt senior offensive linemen Josh Atkins and Max Iheanachor returning as the starting tackles, offensive line coach Saga Tuitele spent the offseason focused on finding the best center and guard combination.
Graduate student offensive lineman Ben Coleman and redshirt freshman offensive lineman Wade Helton look to be the two front-runners to anchor the trenches this season.
“He’s got to remember and I have to remember, last year he was one of the best guards in the Big 12, and he really can do it all,” Tuitele said of Coleman. “His transition to center it has been smooth. We’re trying to find the best five (starting offensive linemen) out there, so we kind of mix and match stuff.”
Nonetheless, whether Coleman ends up at guard or center in Week 1, redshirt senior offensive lineman Kyle Scott will look to hold his spot from last season as the team’s other starting guard.
The man under center, Leavitt, posted a 4-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio in his breakout campaign in the Maroon and Gold last season. The Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year also rushed for 443 yards and five rushing touchdowns.
“I would say Sam has grown the most just in how he carries himself,” Dillingham said of his second-year quarterback’s growth. “He still has that passion and energy, but you don’t see his frustration every single play anymore … I saw the same process in Bo [Nix] from Auburn to Oregon. He is becoming a better leader, and I think he’s becoming way better in the quick and intermediate passing game.”
As Leavitt “is becoming a better leader,” his name is starting to appear on Heisman Trophy watchlists and odds for this upcoming season. With Skattebo and Fautanu’s leadership out of the picture, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound signal caller will need to take full command of the offense.
As fall camp comes to a close, the youngest head coach in the FBS hopes to see more stability from his offense, which looks to take another step forward in 2025.
“Good offenses are consistent,” Dillingham said. “And right now, this is what I said earlier, we’re explosive, but our consistency isn’t there. If we want to be a great offense, we’re going to be explosive and consistent.”
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